Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-17
HOW HE MAKES SERMONS.
ralmage Tells His Method Of Prepar-
ing for the Pulpit,

The BROOKLYN Engle has been interviewing vari-
Gus Brooklyn preachers on their methods OF max
ing sermons. Mr.. Talmage is quoted as follows:
make most OF my sermons walking the floor.
can always think better on my feet. very often
dictate sermons to a stenographer, and after he
has written out his notes read IL over and by that
time have placed the substance of 1t permanently
in my memory. can think better standing before
an audience than can in the privacy OF my home;
but 1t would be very unsafe thing, depending on
the inspiration Of the moment minister will
not do so unless he Is thoroughly lazy. MY own
rule Is not go into the pulpit or upon the plat
form without enough ideas 10 occupy the time use
fully, whether use those ideas or not. NO minister
has right to go before acongregation unprepared,
especially In these days, when through the news
papers and many other forms OF distribution OF
knowledge the audience may happen TO know as
much he does My idea is that II man sits in his
study and carefully writes out theological essay it
may do well for a review or magazine out IL Will
not interest a congregation; but no man can lay
down rule for others Many are ruined Tor life
so far as work is concerned by trying TO do as
others do. ExtempOraneOusneSs OF speech Is best
for some, and thorough use OF manuscript Is de-
almost every minister has felt who has acquired
any facility In public utterance Is to Incidence.
The extemporaneous faculty has been so much
talked ABOUT and eytolled that great many min
listers have sacrificed all their effectiveness In try
ing to do things impromptu. Unless man uses
his pen good deal in the act OF composition he
viii soon lack terSeneSS and cOmrdctneSS or ex-
preston. find that my best days Tor work are
wednesdays and ThurSdayS-eQual distances from
the Sabbath, and the morning OF each day am
generally not observable but 1t is difcult 10 make
an iron rule In these cities as to when you
will be seen and when you Will not be seen.
l think Brooklyn is a first rate place for minis
terS The people generally allow pastor In these
regions to work in his own way, and the congre-
cation are leDient and not unreasonable In their
demands. began the ministry by writing out my
sermons with great care, and taking every manu-
script into the pulpit and combining my self strictly
to it. But coming out OF a theological seminary
with but little prepara ton in the way OF sermon
material i found the preparation or Two sermons
and lecture a week complete physical eXhaus-
ton, so retracted from that habit and used no
notes at all. My first experience In this new de-
parture was marked and unusual. IL was In my
village church at Bellvile, n. ]. Finding that
must stop the exhaustive work or preparation re-
solved on certain Sunday night to extempOrize.
The church had ordinarily been lighted with
the trustees had built a gas-house in the rear
of the church, and the new mode OF lighting the
edifice was to be tested the very night had de-
cided to begin my extenporaneouS speaking. The
church was thrOnged with people who had come TO
see the new mode OF lighting. had about ten
minutes OF my sermon In manuscript and put 1t
down on the Bible, intending when the manuscript
gave out to launch out on the great sea OF extem-
pOraneOusneSs. Although it was a cool night 1t
was very hot one for me, and the thermometer
seemed TO be about up to 100 degrees. AT very
manuscript last as long as possible. Coming within
three or four sentences OF what had written, and
In great trepidation as to what would happen
when began to extempOrize, suddenly the gas
lights lowered to half their intended size. i said
within myself, ''Oh II the gas would only go
QUIT" and sure enough, as uttered the last word
Of my manuscript the lights were suddenly eX-
tinct. / said, Brethren, IL is impossible for us to
proceed Receive the benediction." went home
greatly relieved, feeling that had been rescued
from great crisis but fully resolved that would
break the bondage OF manuscript and be afree man
iu the pulpit, and my habit has been to extempOr-
lie ever since.